Liquid egg substitute products have recently demonstrated increasing consumer acceptance. The primary benefit of these products is reduced fat, cholesterol and calories. Typical modified liquid poultry egg and simulated egg products suffer a variety of deficiencies when compared to natural poultry egg preparations particularly in organoleptic qualities, i.e., taste, aroma, mouth feel, texture and flavor. In particular, such products tend to be somewhat thick and grainy, and, when cooked, tend to be somewhat soft, fluffy or otherwise physically abnormal. Moreover, such products are typically deficient in functional parity compared to scrambled eggs and products made from poultry eggs.
In addition to the foregoing, microbiological stability before and during storage has been and continues to be a problem for liquid, modified, simulated and poultry egg compositions and products. A significant consideration of such products is that liquid poultry eggs and consequently products made therefrom contain differing degrees of microbial contaminants (such as salmonella) which can cause spoilage and illness. There are additional risks of cross-contamination upon mixing, processing and handling. Pasteurization processes retard bacterial spoilage for up to about 72 hours. Most liquid egg and egg products require frozen storage and defrosting prior to use. Despite freezing, some bacterial problems have persisted in those products.
Frozen egg replacement products are difficult for consumers to locate in stores and require thawing prior to use. In addition, if improperly stored, these products have a relatively high risk of bacterial spoilage.
Whether prepared for consumer or institutional use, various egg products have been pasteurized and dried. The drying usually is accomplished by spray drying, although in some instances the egg material is dried in a thin layer in a pan. The dried material may be ground to a powder of uniform consistency.
Poultry egg yolk is of greater commercial value than poultry egg white because the yolk contains the greatest nutrient value. It behaves as an emulsifier and may be used with or without egg white in various prepared foods such as pastries, cake mixes, souffles, sauces and pasta products. The modified and simulated liquid poultry egg compositions of the present invention are organoleptically, textually and functionally very similar to liquid poultry egg compositions and products made therefrom. Products of this invention are improved in keeping quality over ordinary liquid poultry egg compositions and do not necessarily contain cholesterol. They may also be reduced in fat and/or calories over ordinary poultry eggs.
This invention relates to simulated and liquid poultry egg products, products which ordinarily contain natural poultry eggs and products which ordinarily utilize yolks or blended whole poultry eggs such as scrambled eggs, egg patties, tube eggs, french toast batter, mayonnaise, souffles, omelets, hollandaise sauce, pancakes, waffles, pastries, egg nog and such.
As used herein, the term "modified" refers to compositions which contain components of natural egg in relatively large amounts, which have been treated to reduce the levels of fat and/or cholesterol contained therein, reduce or increase the viscosity of the product, or otherwise treated to affect the organoleptic or functional quality.
The term "simulated" refers to those products which do not contain a substantial quantity of a natural egg component in the composition.
For example, a yolk composition which contains a high concentration of decholesterolized natural yolk is referred to as a modified composition, whereas a yolk composition containing essentially no natural yolk is referred to as a simulated yolk composition.
The composition described herein can be used in place of natural poultry yolk, such as in baking, as well as in a blended composition containing the yolk composition and additional ingredients which when blended together with the yolk composition, simulate scrambled egg or a batter which is used as described above to simulate blended whole eggs.
Products produced in accordance with this invention may include poultry egg white, yolk or combinations thereof, as well as defatted, decholesterolized or otherwise modified natural egg components.
During processing, free glucose may be removed from the egg material by the action of bacteria, yeast or enzymes. Also, it may be desirable to stabilize the egg material or otherwise alter its physical properties. The resulting egg material may be stable in its dry form or may be preserved by refrigeration or freezing.
Compositions produced in accordance with the present invention resolve these organoleptic and functional problems, and are microbiologically more stable. After packaging, the compositions produced according to the invention may be frozen or simply refrigerated. When carefully processed and packaged, products can be made to provide extended keeping even when stored at room temperature.
One problem which has vexed egg substitutes prior to this invention is texture. They tend to have an unnatural fluffy, spongy or grainy consistency as described above.
When prepared using a microwave oven poultry and simulated poultry eggs become degraded organoleptically and cook unevenly. If slightly undercooked, there may be free running raw product mixed with cooked portions which may be somewhat rubbery. If overcooked, there may be a mixture of rubbery and even burnt portions in an abnormal chewy mass.
Products prepared from the present invention, whether provided in raw or pre-cooked form, substantially overcome these problems. Entrees may be made utilizing the composition of the invention which may be freeze thaw cycled numerous times.
When liquid egg products are processed in accordance with the present invention, they may be kept over extended periods of time without producing "off" flavors.
One object of the present invention is to provide modified and simulated poultry egg compositions which have substantially the same consistency as ordinary poultry yolk and blended poultry egg compositions, while imparting the same consistency as liquid poultry eggs to preparations and products made therefrom.
An additional object is to provide egg compositions which can be used as substitutes for blended whole poultry eggs or poultry egg yolks, exhibiting the characteristic effects of poultry eggs in preparations and products made therefrom.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a modified or simulated poultry egg composition which does not substantially separate on standing and is easily re-homogenized.
Another object of the invention is to provide a composition which can be employed in place of poultry egg yolk, and can be combined with egg whites or an equivalent thereto to closely simulate blended whole eggs or yolks in commercial food preparations.
An additional object is to provide a liquid modified, simulated poultry egg composition which is functionally equivalent to natural poultry egg and/or egg yolk, imparting the same or similar benefits to preparations when used as an ingredient.
Another object of the invention is to provide a simulated poultry egg yolk composition which contains essentially no poultry egg material.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a process for making simulated poultry egg compositions which are economical to use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide liquid modified and simulated poultry egg compositions as well as products containing such compositions which may be readily microwaved without noticeable substantial diminution in quality.
Another object of the invention is to provide liquid modified and simulated poultry egg compositions and products which are freeze/thaw stable whether raw or pre-cooked.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and the product produced therefrom, which are safe to prepare and eat after packaging and storage for extended periods of time.
The foregoing objects can be accomplished by producing liquid, modified and simulated poultry egg and/or yolk compositions and products made therefrom that can be used as poultry yolk and blended whole egg substitutes to provide simulated and modified scrambled eggs, poached eggs, tube eggs, yolk for use in baking, pasta, pastry, omelets, french toast batter, pancakes, waffles, egg nog, mayonnaise, sauces, souffles and the like.